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– Research highlights that an individual has been central to this. I can’t go any further, says Nils Morten Huseby, director of the Department of Energy Technology (IFE).
Last summer, the foundation reported that they suspected possible scientific dishonesty in projects at the Halden reactor. It was then possible to change the results of the research at the reactor several years back in time.
It was this that prompted his investigation, and now the report has arrived. It is so serious that the IFE itself has sent it to Økokrim.
Research a 15-year period.
The Halden Reactor is a nuclear reactor that was in operation from 1955 until its closure in 2018. It has been used for various research projects and the experience of many different countries has been involved.
Among other things, the reactor has undertaken the task of testing various forms of radioactive fuel, which will then be used commercially.
It is during such tests that the results should have been manipulated.
Managing Director Nils Morten Huseby at IFE.
Photo: Anniken Mihle / NRK
– We have found that the data has changed. What is reported to customers is not what the test actually showed. It can potentially be serious, but we need to know more about how the customer has used the data, says Huseby.
There are projects in the period 1990 to 2005 that have now been examined. 60 past and current employees have been interviewed.
According to IFE, the breach has had no security consequences for the Halden reactor. But since IFE doesn’t know how test results have been used in reactors around the world, it’s also too early to say anything about the safety implications.
– The investigation has revealed serious conditions with security risk and financial consequences. IFE therefore decided to report the relationship with Økokrim, says Huseby.
– Planned and well hidden
– We seriously analyze what happened, says Kristin Elise Frogg, director of the department of the Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety.
She says that the Directorate was notified last summer. They immediately ordered the IFE to investigate the consequences that this could have.
– At that time, IFE presented it as an investigative fraud. Later it emerged that it has been planned, manipulated, and well hidden. We are concerned if this has anything to do with the safety of the Halden reactor and with customers in other countries who have used this investigation, ”says Frogg.
Kristin Elise Frogg of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Directorate has notified several countries affected by the events at the Halden reactor.
Photo: Dag Aasdalen / NRK
The Directorate has been continuously informed since September last year and has informed the supervisory authorities of the countries that they know are affected.
“It is currently unclear how many there are, but you can talk about 4-5 countries,” says Frogg.
“Does this have anything to do with the safety of the Halden reactor?”
– IFE says it has not been affected by the research projects, and it is likely. But we have to do a separate evaluation, says Frogg.
– What does this mean for IFE’s reputation?
– Clearly this is a very unfortunate case for a research institute, says Frogg.
Internal notice received
The report, written by Kvamme Associaties, claims that at least one person was involved in the rape. It is not known whether he or she has worked or worked at IFE.
The infringement was detected by internal complainants who pointed out possible errors. It happened in early 2019.
Those who reported were treated as complainants and internal investigations were initiated. In August last year, the company announced that they had launched an external investigation.
The first reports were about episodes in which the data on temperature and pressure had changed.
Looking at seven projects
Studies have shown that changes in data or research design appear to have been brought about by challenges that researchers have encountered along the way in projects.
Two situations in particular stand out as typical. The first is that the researchers failed to meet the test requirements. The second was situations where they were having trouble with testing and there was a risk of delays or having to restart.
In total, four international projects have been found in the Halden reactor that have been in default, according to the report. Independent experts have assessed that there are no security risks associated with two of the projects. The last two have not been fully evaluated.
During the work it was also discovered that three other projects may also be affected. These are now under review.
